News & Events

We have launched a NEW Blog!

We've launched a brand new blog full of inspiring imagery, interiors ideas and advice as well as recipes and craft projects, and even a special 'secret stylist' section which features some of our favourite customers homes!

Join us for one of our in store Craft Courses, including cushion making, curtain making and interior design.

To stay up to date with the latest information and current course dates check out our craft courses page, or please follow us onFacebook.

Posted 19th March 2015

Fabric Sweet Peas

We've put together a simple guide to making your very own fabric sweet peas. They look great in our glass flower bottles to brighten up a room this Spring. See how to make them here.

Posted 12th March 2015

Effortless Mothers Day Breakfast in Bed

A lovely relaxing morning in bed has to be up there as one of the best mothers day gifts, along side a handmade card and of course a Susie Watson Designs Mummy mug!

If you want to give your other half a quick nudge in the right direction, send him our effortless breakfast in bed recipe. It's the perfect start to Mothers Day.

Ingredients3 eggs3 tablespoons milk2 tablespoons shredded cheesesalt, pepper and a pinch of fresh herbs. (We used thyme but parsley would also be delicious)

DirectionsCoat your mug of choice with a thin layer of butter. Add eggs and milk and whisk until combined.Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute; stir.Microwave until eggs start to cook 45 seconds longer; stir.Continue the process 30 seconds at a time until your eggs are just how you like them.Give the eggs a final stir, then top with cheese and season with salt, pepper, and herbs.

Add some toast and a cup of something warm and you're all set.

Posted 9th March 2015

Mother's Day Challenge

"We challenged Bustle and Sew to come up with a handmade Mother's Day Gift using a selection of our fabrics and were amazed by the results. Take a peek at the gorgeous Dorothy bag and have a go yourself with their helpful free pattern.

A massive thank you to Helen for all her hard work on this bag, I know I'd love to make one for my mum.

Don't forget if you dream in stitches, you can check out the Bustle and Sew magazine full of creative projects."

Posted 3rd February 2015

New Snowdrop Pottery

Is there anything that signals the turning of the new year more than the snowdrop? It's beautiful and delicate white flowers gives a new lease of life to the bare earth as the beginning of February arrives.

Inspired by the seasons, this year Susie has created a new snowdrop mug design to add to our pottery collection. It is a captivating design that is like a breath of fresh air, reminding us that the cold February days will eventually turn into Spring.

Like all our pottery designs, the snow drop works well mix and matched to create an informal style. Susie styles the snowdrop pottery with the blue oscar, and the blue carnival stripe designs which really bring the snowdrop to the fore.

To get your hands on our gorgeous new design, you'll need to head into one of our stores. Limited stock mean that these hand painted beauties are yet to arrive online.

If you fancy getting out and exploring the snow drops yourself, there are a wealth of snowdrop gardens that you can visit as part of the national garden scheme. They grow best in damp woods, along the sides of streams and in meadows and shady gardens. But you'll have to be quick, before you know it they'll be gone!

Posted 15th January 2015

Babychino Recipe Ideas

Give the kids (or yourself) an after school treat with a delicious babychino.

Get creative with the store cupboard, whisk up the milk in a saucepan and add your flavour and topping.

Here are some of our favourites:

The honey nut – A drop of honey whisked in with flaked almonds to the top.The mint choc chip – add a drop of peppermint to the milk and finish with chocolate chips.The chocolate dream – stir in some Nutella and sprinkle on some mini marshmallow

Heat oven to 200C.Slice ends off sprouts and cut into halves and toss in 2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet in a single layer and roast until leaves are browned and hearts are tender, (Around 15 to 20 minutes). In a food processor, process remaining oil, parsley, hazelnuts, coriander, vinegar, garlic, and season with salt pepper until smooth. Wash your spinach and add to your serving bowl, tossing with a dash of olive oil.When cooked, toss sprouts in sauce until well coated. Pour sprouts onto a serving dish and mix in the spinach.

p.s this dish works equally well with normal Brussel sprouts, we just liked the colour and texture added by the flower spouts.

Posted 22nd December 2014

Guest Room Tips

Got people to stay over the festive period? Fear not, you can be the 'hostess with the mostest' with our top tips.

These marshmallow treats are so easy to put together and have already wow'd our head office team. I can confirm they have the toddler's seal of approval too and would be a great end of term gift for a teacher.

Mix crushed candy canes and gold edible glitter in a bowl. Melt your chocolate on the hob, when fully melted dip the bottom half of the marshmallow in chocolate and roll in crushed candy cane and gold edible glitter mix.

Place straight onto baking paper to dry.

Posted 17th December 2014

Christmas Foodie - Pistachio Mini Pavlovas

When we asked for top Christmas recipes, Rebekah from our Cambridge store was quick to reply, here is her fail safe entertaining recipe for Pistachio mini Pavlovas. Don't be scared by the ingredients, this is an easy and delicious sweet treat that will be an absolute show stopper at Christmas parties!

With your electric mixer, whisk the egg whites, salt and edible glitter until peaks start to form. Add the sugar in a slow stream and whip until the eggs are shiny and stiff. Sprinkle in the cornflour, vanilla, vinegar and pistachios. Gently fold to combine.

Scoop the meringue into equal mounds on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and immediately turn down to 150C (fan 140C) and bake for 25 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave in for another 25 minutes then remove from the oven. Cool completely.

To serve, top with softly whipped cream, berries and an extra sprinkle of chopped pistachios and glitter.

TOP TIP, you can make the meringues in advance, but add the toppings on just before you serve.

Posted 15th December 2014

Christmas Foodie - Cranberry Sauce Recipe

For a rich sauce that you can prepare ahead of time, this is the cranberry sauce for you. Todays recipe comes from Anna in our marketing department, who is our chief entertainment queen.

Tip the port and sugar into a pan and bring to the boil. Add the cranberries and allspice, then cook for 5 mins for frozen and 8-10 mins for fresh until tender, but holding their shape. Now is a good time to check the flavour of the sauce, adding in a little extra sugar if it's too tarte for your taste buds. The sauce will thicken as it cools, and leaves you with an excellent berry to sauce ratio. This sauce keeps in the fridge for 1 week or freeze it for up to 6 weeks. Leave to thaw for 2 hrs or overnight before serving.

Posted 12th December 2014

Creating The Perfect Christmas Table

In the lead up to the big day, you don't want to forget to plan your Christmas table. After all, it will be the centre of attention when you sit down to that delicious meal come Christmas Day. To really give your table the wow factor, read Susie's top tips here.

Posted 8th December 2014

Wreath Making Ideas

There's nothing like the sight of a Christmas Wreath on your front door to put a smile on your face every time you return home. Christmas wreaths are fun to make and can be made from bits and bobs you can find around your home and garden. We've put together some fun ideas for making your own wreath this Christmas.Read ideas here.

Our advent calendar is made in a beautiful classic design and is one item you will want to bring out year after year, to celebrate the festive season. To help you have an effortles Christmas, we've come up with some ideas for filling those lovely pockets, to really bring the advent calendar to life.Read ideas here.>

The final leaves are turning gorgeously golden as we head through November. Here we have already begun thinking about fun things we can do in preparation for December. We've been so inspired by the November window from our Marlborough shop, which really sets the scene for the beginnings of that festive period. Read how to get the look here>

Posted 31st October 2014

Upcycled Table

An upcyling project is a great way to use up any leftover paint and wallpaper you have after completing some home renovations. By using wallpaper and paint you already have you can be certain that the colours and patterns will suit your room and be to your taste.Read our guide to creating your very own upcycled table here

Posted 30th October 2014

How to Choose Interior Paint Colour

Choosing interior paint colour can be confusing so here we give you some ideas to help you make the right paint choice.Read our paint tips here

Posted 23rd October 2014

Wallpaper Tips

Making decisions about decorating is undoubtedly nerve racking, unlike the dress you wish you'd never bought it cannot be stuffed in the cupboard and be forgotten about. Susie has created a really versatile set of beautiful, high quality wallpapers in soft colours, that suit a variety of settings and to help make the process simpler, we have put together some of Susie's top tips on choosing and using a wallpaper.Read wallpaper tips here

Posted 10th October 2014

Effortless Baking!

Congratulations to Nancy who walked away with this years GBBO prize. We've also been running our own competition over on facebook and twitter, to find your best effortless baking recipes. The winning entry was from Karen and is for an indulgent Chocolate Brownie. Karen says,

"This brownie is so easy and freezes very well. All you have to do is take it out the freezer cut into squares, step ahead entertaining!"

Melt the butter and the chocolate and mix until smooth.In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and sugar, then add this to the chocolate mixture. Stir together well. Beat the eggs and mix in until you have a silky consistency.Pour your brownie mix into the baking tray, and place in the oven for around 25 minutes. (180 degrees).

Posted October 2014

Effortless Baking!

Wow, another tense week on GBBO, and didn't those amazing patisseries look spectacular? We just can't wait to see what the bakers come up with for the final.

This week, Jenni from our head office is sharing her tempting chocolate cake recipe, that only takes an hour from start to finish. We think you'll be in for a treat with the crisp crust and smooth center of this indulgent bake.

Effortless Baking Recipe #8

Perfect Chocolate Fondant Cake

When you need to make a cake in a hurry this is the one to turn to and with only 5 ingredients it has to be a winner.

Preheat the oven to 170C/gas mark 3 and generously butter a 20cm cake tin.Melt the chocolate and butter together in a pan over a low heat, stirring every now and then with a spatula.Whisk the eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water for a few minutes. The aim is to bring the mixture to slightly above room temperature.Remove from the heat, pour the chocolate over the egg mixture and fold in with a spatula.Sift in the flour and gently incorporate it until smoothPour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 20-25 minutes until just set in the centre. Allow to cool slightly. Cut into wedges and serve with ice-cream.

Four weeks in a row for Richard as Star Baker on GBBO! He looks like he might run away with it...

For those of you with a bit less time on your hands, this week's Effortless Baking Recipe is from Rebekah, one of our Style Advisors in our Cambridge shop. Rebekah says, these are 'so moreish! Peanut Butter fans beware, you'll be hooked'.

Effortless Baking Recipe #7

Peanut Butter Bites

Ingredients

makes approximately 15 bites

1 cup* peanut butter1/2 cup sugar1 egg1/2 cup wheat germ*

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir together until everything is fully mixed. The dough will be very thick.Scoop dough by the tablespoon onto the cookie sheet.Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until the sides of the bites begin to brown.Allow to cool and enjoy!

Chefs Tips*

I use a regular size cup, just make sure you use the same size for each ingredient.Jordan's makes a Wheat germ that is available in supermarkets, I buy mine in Waitrose.

Posted 19th September 2014

Effortless Baking!

Congratulations to Richard for becoming Star Baker for the 3rd time this week on the GBBO!

Our 'effortless baking' recipe this week is for Puff Pastry Apple Tarts. This recipe comes from Sophie, our marketing intern, and it will take you less than 10 minutes to prepare.

Effortless Baking Recipe #6

Puff Pastry Apple Tart

Ingredients

1. 1 sheet of puff pastry2. 4 whole apples sliced3. 1 cup brown sugar

Method

Cut the puff pastry into quarters and place onto your Susie Watson Oven Dish, or a non-stick baking tray. Add the sugar to the apples. Overlap the apple slices across the pastry. Bake for 18 mins at 210 degrees.

Posted 12th September 2014

Effortless Baking!

We were relieved to see that nobody left the GBBO this week. We are all big fans of both Richard and Kate in the office.

Our 'effortless baking' recipe this week is not quite as effortless as some of our other bakes, but it is still really easy and we couldn't resist putting it in. It's a recipe for Blackberry & Rose Geranium Cake from Lucie in our head office.

Cream the butter with 3 tbs of the flours, add the eggs and beat the mixture. Mix in half of the maple syrup and then add the rest of the flours – fold in gently. Cook for 50min at 180 degrees. For the filling, whip the cream and fold the honey in carefully. Slice the cake horizontally and prick holes in it to drizzle the remaining syrup through. Spread the cream over one layer with 2/3 of the blackberries. Put the two halves together with the rest of the blackberries on top.

Posted 5th September 2014

Effortless Baking!

Thankfully, the GBBO returned to calm this week – or as calm as it can be when there are 7 amateur bakers trying to bake 3 tiered pies.

Our 'effortless baking' recipe this week is for a 1 tiered pie and comes from Janet in our Cambridge Store. Why not give it a go this weekend and display it on your Susie Watson Cake Stand for all your guests to see.

Cut the tortillas into 0.5 inch thick strips. Heat the butter and sugar in a non-stick pan, and once the butter has melted, add the tortilla strips. Stir frequently until the tortillas are lightly brown and crispy. Sprinkle the cinnamon on top and serve with ice-cream for an extra naughty treat. Enjoy this effortless bake in your Susie Watson Pudding Bowls!

Posted 22nd August 2014

Effortless Baking!

We are getting fully into the swing of the GBBO here in the office. We loved bread week. Unfortunately, we don't tend to have enough spare time to bake delicious rye breads! So, in the style of 'effortless baking', this week we have found our own quick, easy, yet show stopping recipe for chapatis.

This week's recipe is from Mr. Ravi, who oversees the creation of all of our textiles in his family-run factory in rural Southern India.

These chapatis are an excellent example of delicious Indian Cuisine. Pop them on your Susie Watson side plates next time you serve a curry and wow your guests.

Effortless Baking Recipe #2

Chapatis

Ingredients

1. 300g wholemeal plain flour2. 300ml cold water

Method

Put the flour into a bowl and add the water to it, a little at a time, kneading as you go until you have soft, elastic dough. Split the dough into 10 balls and roll those into flat circles around 6in in diameter. Heat a shallow frying pan and add the chapatis one at a time for about 20-30 seconds and then flip them over. Once the brown spots appear, the chapati is done. Enjoy!

Posted 18th August 2014

How to create an 'Ethereal Dining' table

This is a real wow factor one. It's so atmospheric and beautiful, perfect for summer parties. Think candle light, flowers and foliage, birds, a real fairy tale 'Midsummer Night's Dream' look. View our stylist's step by step guide to creating this look and also be inspired by their incredible pinterest board, including hints and tips for your own tables. For example, putting candle light at different heights on the table creates a really dramatic effect, in this image, Susie uses tealights, candlesticks and hurricanes to achieve a magical feel. Read more here

Posted 14th August 2014

Effortless Baking!

We are all loving 'Bake Off' so much in the office it's got us talking about our own baking in the office, we all love it but don't have a huge amount of time between work, children and everything else in life. So over the series we thought we would share with you some 'effortless baking' ideas, really quick, easy and delicious recipes tried and tested by our staff.

This week's recipe is from our Marketing Manager, Anna. Anna says...

'As it was biscuit week, try this recipe for hob nobs, my neighbour made them for me as a thank you and so now I have to thank her for the recipe! So easy and my girls love them. Serve with a large mug of tea, in a SWD mug of course!'

Preheat oven to 180C / gas mark 4. Mix ingredients 1 – 4 in a bowl. Melt 5 and 6 in a saucepan and then combine with 1-4. Shape mixture into round balls and press gently onto a tray lined with baking parchment. Cook for 10 – 12 minutes. They turn quickly so keep a look out in the last few minutes, they should be golden brown. Serve with a cup of tea in a SWD mug!

To celebrate Independent Retailer Month our Tunbridge Wells shop is offering 10% off all non-sale items* on Friday 4th of July, Independence Day. They will also be offering thirsty shoppers light refreshments, it's the perfect time to be supporting your local independent shops, with special offers on all over the high street! See you there!

*Excludes Curtain Making and other offers

To stay up to date with the latest information, please follow us on Facebook.

2. With right sides together machine stitch all 6 pieces together at sides stopping at large circle

3. At the centre of the last seam leave an opening large enough to turn egg through

4. Snip around bottom edge with in the 1cm seam allowance to enable machine stitching around the curve of the egg base

5. Match centre markings at base to centre of egg. Pin in place, ease and pin rest of base around base of egg

6. Machine stitch in place

7. Turn egg through opening

8. Stuff egg to desired fullness

9. Hand stitch opening using neat invisible stitches

10. Egg is now complete, decorate as required and use your imagination to create your own designs.

Posted 8th April 2014

How to Make a Fabric Scrap Wreath

This fabric wreath is really easy to make with scraps of fabric that you have lying around, or you can buy discounted fabric scraps in-store.

What you need:

10" Florist's wreath wire

Steps:

Numerous Strips of fabric approx. 30cms long x varying widths

1. Cut lots of fabric stripe approx. 30cms long x varying widths from 5cms to 2cms, cut each end at a 45 degree angle.

2. Tie each strip around the ring and tie in a double knot making sure they are pushed up tight to each other

3. Continue all the way around the ring until full.

Posted 25th March 2014

Cushion Making Courses

We've received some fantastic feedback from our cushion making courses so far and seen some really beautiful, professional-looking cushions. A happy customer in Tunbridge Wells said,

"Very much enjoyed the morning. It definitely exceeded expectations! Delighted with my cushion and will come again! Thank you."

See our craft courses page for the next cushion making course in your area.

Posted 10th March 2014

We Are Shortlisted in the International Design Awards

We are so extremely excited and proud to announce that our Rose and Hydrangea Fabric has been shortlisted in the Fabric Category of The International Product Design Awards 2014.

This is voted for by the general public, industry professionals and the Design Society - so we will let you know as soon as voting opens.

Posted 4th March 2014

Mothers Day

With the Daffodils beginning to peep through the earth and the dawn chorus in full flow we can finally start to enjoy the promise of spring!

Only 26 days until the start of British Summer Time and one of our favourite days of the year…..Mothers Day. To celebrate this auspicious day we have carefully selected some beautiful handmade pieces that we think make the perfect gift. With our classic Susie Watson Designs mugs, scented candles, glass flower bottles and wool throws to name but a few, there's something for everyone. To make things easy we have put together a special Mothers Day page, have a look and see what takes your fancy!

Posted 14th February 2014

Wedding Colour Scheme Competition

Happy Valentine's Day! Tell us which colour scheme you think would make the perfect wedding day breakfast and WIN a family of our flower bottles; a set of baby, medium and large in the colour of your choice.

Have a look through our three beautiful mood boards, which we have posted here on our Facebook page and choose which you like best (even if you're not getting married!) and like it before 28th February to enter the prize draw... and why not tell us why you like it in the comments! Good luck!

The three colour schemes are Duck Egg Blue and Ivory, Pale Rose Pink and Ivory and Fresh Apple Green and Ivory.

Posted 5th February 2014

Chichester Studio Space

Our Chichester Store has a studio space available. The space is located within the Chichester store on North Street and will provide a creative person with a stunning light and airy space to work on creative endeavours.

The studio space also offers a large work bench with power points, the use of a large cutting table and attractive kitchen – there is also extra storage space available.

Ask in store for more details.

Posted 27th January 2014

Tamil Nadu's Pongal Festival

Our kind friend Venkat in Tamil Nadu, India, sent these wonderful images of the Pongal Festival in India - an important celebration heralding the close of Winter and the return of Spring. This family festival sees the newly-harvested rice boiled with milk in mud pots and the cooked rice is offered to the Sun God.

Everyone wears new clothes and four days of celebration begin, the auspicious cattle are decorated with saffron and flowers, the women decorate their courtyards and everyone spends time with their families and friends.

Thank you Venkat for sharing your special celebrations with us and we wish you a very Happy Pongal!

Posted 24th January 2014

Flowers For You

Our flower expert, Anna, in our Chichester store in Sussex has created this stunning bouquet. She has very cleverly mixed real foliage (the eucalyptus) alongside our pretty silk synthetic flowers.

The mix adds a gorgeous, delicate scent and looks so lovely - this idea is simple to do and also saves you lots of money as you only need to refresh the foliage or exchange them for boughs from your garden, when Spring finally shakes her head.

Our flowers are only available in store.

Posted 20th January 2014

Winter Sale!

Our Winter Sale is in it's third week now and we still have lots of wonderful handmade Susie Watson Designs products for sale at a fraction of their original price.

We have our handmade 100% Linen cushions, 100% Velvet cushions and 100% Silk cushions available in the sale, we also have quilts, tablecloths, textiles, oilcloth, aprons and even scarves.

There is plenty of pottery, and almost the entire Christmas range available at discounted prices so that you can be ready for next year with a beautiful set of handmade Christmas crockery to enjoy at a great price.

All of our handmade collections have been created in small batches so to ensure you get hold of the piece of pottery or textiles you want in our Winter Sale be quick, because once it has been sold there is no more stock.

To add colour to a chair, for wrapping around your shoulders whilst snugging on the sofa, to wrap up friends, for protecting sofas and armchairs from small sticky fingers or muddy paws or perhaps to extra cosiness to your bed...our Shetland Wool Throws are the absolute ticket while the rotten Winter weather outside continues to bash the landscape about.

Our throws are a gorgeous addition to any home. Post a photo of how you use your throw here on our Facebook page before the 31st January to be entered into a draw to WIN a feathers linen cushion.

Posted 13th January 2014

How To Chose Interior Paint Colour

Choosing interior paint colour can be confusing so here we give you some ideas to help you make the right paint choice.

Colour will immediately set the tone and mood of a room, if you are looking for something cool and chic a light colour can set off this mood and give your furnishings and furniture a chance to shine. Choosing interior paint colour can be an important decision for setting the tone and mood of your interior design.

Warm, neutral colours continue to be the classic paint colour that people and designers turn too, they do not date, they are elegant and just about everything is complimented by them.

Bold colours are striking but will need to chosen wisely; our selection of paints are carefully designed to create both strong and soft looks that co-ordinate beautifully with our home products and fabrics.

Check the colours in the room you plan to paint; paint a wide swatch onto lining paper and when the colours are dry stick each one up to compare and contrast.

Our subtle palette of paint colours has been developed by Susie and made by Craig & Rose of Edinburgh. The paints are water-based emulsion unless otherwise stated and designed to be hard-wearing and elegant.

The cottage had the added benefit of being designed and furnished with a host of classic and elegant furnishings including a wonderful range of our handmade cushions, throws, glass-ware and home-ware and the entire property is handsomely featured in this months edition of Beautiful Homes.

If you are looking for some enduring and classic design inspiration in a English cottage then make sure buy a copy of January's Beautiful Homes to really get an idea of how to furnish your home.

Posted 7th January 2014

Are You Getting Married This Year?

Are you getting married this summer? Did you know we offer a personalised Wedding List service?

We provide help choosing your list with one of our stylists at a time that is suitable to you. You can revise and edit your list whenever you need to and we can deliver your items when you are ready to receive them.

If you would like to find out more about this service then please contact us at charlotte.murray@susiewatsondesigns.co.uk

If you are looking for the perfect wedding present our handmade pottery and home-ware makes a gorgeous and ideal gift to give to a newly-wed couple. A present that will last their entire lifetime and beyond is something they can truly treasure.

Posted 3rd January 2014

Welcome To The New Year

What resolutions have you made for 2014? Less hoovering, more creativity or perhaps more Champagne and less tweeting, or are you, like us, considering a re-design in a room in your house and hoping to design it, sew the curtains and choose the cushions and upholstery yourself?

It is wonderful to have new hopes, dreams and desires planned for the next year, we also have big plans and dreams – to open new shops with one planned in Easter in the pretty seaside town of Salcombe in Devon.

We have a stunning new wallpaper collection ready to be unveiled to you, which we are all extremely excited about it. It is being printed in the UK by the Surface Print Company and the designs and colours have been created to complement our ever growing collection of fabrics, paints and accessories.

All of our news and dreams and ideas will be posted right here on our blog, we have a fantastic array of visual inspiration for all sorts of areas in your house and in your life on our Pinterest Page and our Facebook page has a daily update to keep you motivated to design and create.

We hope you had an enjoyable handmade Christmas and wish you all a Happy New Year - keep in touch with us on Twitter @SusieWDesigns or on Facebook.

Posted 23rd December 2013

Merry Christmas From Susie

A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and huge thanks for your support over the last year. It's been an exciting year, with new shops opening in Kingsbridge and Chichester and a great response to our stand at Decorex this autumn.

We launched two new pottery designs this year - Apple Blossom and Honey Bees - which are now firm favourites and we have been working on a new 'Boats' design ready for the launch of our new Salcombe shop in April 2014. First samples are in the shops now! We continue to look for new locations for our shops around the country.

Our fabric offering has expanded quite a bit this year and we have some exciting new patterns in development. You can keep up with progress behind the scenes on our Pinterest Boards. We ran our first craft courses this year at our Marlow, Tunbridge Wells and Chichester shops and the feedback has been brilliant. We are looking forward to running more courses from February next year. The stunning new craft room at Chichester has come to life with lots of interesting courses including Lampshade Making, Ceramics Painting and lots more.

January 2014 will see the launch of our first wallpaper collection. Designs include Stripes, Shalini and Apple Blossom, each in a number of deliciously subtle colourways to complement and mix and match with our fabric collection. They have been printed in the UK by the renowned ' Surface Print Company', and have surpassed all our expectations! We hope that lots more of you will want us to help you create your dream home using our ever growing collection of fabrics, papers, paints, and home accessories.

We are extremely proud of the craftsmanship of our artisans, and of the quality products they hand make for us using traditional studio methods. We are proud to work in partnership with them, giving much needed support to their local communities in India and Sri Lanka. By buying from us you are helping to support them too.

We hope you continue to enjoy using our lovely handmade products, and that they give you lasting pleasure.

With very best wishes, Susie.

Posted 19th December 2013

Order Online By Friday!

Don't forget you still have 24 hours to order online. Order by midday on Friday 20th December to ensure your handmade gifts and goodies arrive in time for Christmas!

If you're looking for some last minute gift giving inspiration or help just tweet us at @SusieWDesigns, drop us a message on Facebook or go to our Pinterest Boards for stunning ideas.

Orders placed after Friday 20th may be delivered on Tuesday 24th am, but you will need to contact the warehouse by e-mail ian.rhodes@susiewatsondesigns.co.uk or by telephone 0121 3132740 to confirm.

Between Tuesday 24th of December and Thursday 2nd of January, the warehouse will only be open on Monday 30th of December, orders placed over this time will be delivered within 5 – 7 days of the warehouse re-opening in the New Year.

Posted 16th December 2013

Order Online This Week!

With just nine days of shopping left this December the time has come to really make sure you have got the perfect present for everyone.

Here at Susie Watson Designs we have so many ideas for you from £10 to £300. We have created a Pinterest Board with images of all our favourite gift ideas - so take a look to really inspire you.

Have a handmade Christmas with Susie Watson Designs.

Posted 13th December 2013

Are you looking for a unique present?

You can see the craftsmanship that has gone into making every one of our items, which are made by humans, not machines. For a behind the scenes look at how we make our products, watch our videos online .

These handmade pieces of art make unique and useful gifts that will last and whether you're still looking for a pretty little something to pop into a stocking or something thoughtful to leave under the tree,
our gift inspiration covers everything.

Or enjoy the exciting boards, which change daily on our Pinterest page.

Order before midday on the 20th December for guaranteed delivery before Christmas but remember, our products are made in small batches and can sell out.

Posted 9th December 2013

Christmas and New Year Opening Times

This year our shops will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Our fabric showroom in Marlborough, however is closed from 21st December until 2nd January.

However, they will all be open from 9am until 4pm on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve so that you still have every opportunity to choose a beautiful handmade gift for your loved ones.

For gift inspiration have a look at our
gift page which has gifts from just £10.

Have a handmade Christmas with Susie Watson Designs.

Posted 6th December 2013

Christmas Shopping in Kingsbridge This Saturday

Shoppers in Kingsbridge will be able to enjoy a festive atmosphere all day today. There is music in the town square and Christmas stalls on Fore Street.

We will be open for slightly different hours, 9am – 5.30pm, and getting in the spirit of things, serving homemade mince pies and mulled wine as well as donning our best Christmas jumpers.

Drop by for up to 10% off Christmas table top essentials, savings on gifts and Christmas cheer!

At Susie Watson Designs we have everything you could possibly need to turn your home into a warm festive nest and right now we have 10% off our Christmas Pottery collection – so that your table can look as festive and enchanting as the rest of the house.

Posted 25th November 2013

Autumn Draws To A Close

As autumn gently draws to a close the winter nights are beginning to fall upon us in earnest. This is the time to get cosy, light the fire and think about what gifts you will be buying for your family and friends.

Then look no further! We have created a wealth of wonderful ideas for presents for all the most important people in your life.

We have ideas to suit all budgets from stocking fillers that are under £10 to blow the budget goodies for that special someone.

Whether they love animals, cooking, gardening or designing we have the all the ideas you need. There is something here for everyone whether they are 6 months old or 66 years old and each gift is handmade and designed to last a lifetime.

Ever wanted to work for Susie Watson Designs? We've got some fantastic opportunities at the moment.

We are looking for an Assistant Store Manager for Marlow, a Fabric Manager in Tunbridge Wells and a field based Visual Merchandiser. For more information, full job descriptions and how to apply, check out our careers page.

Posted 12th November 2013

Order your curtains soon for Christmas

Transform your living space into a room that has warmth and elegance - a pair of curtains will immediately uplift and complete a room.

At Susie Watson Designs our range of fabrics are designed to be used not only for upholstery but for curtains and blinds as well. With 100% thick cotton, the range comes in extra wide lengths and all the fabrics are finished by hand.

Did you know that we offer a made-to-measure service to create stunning curtains or blinds especially for your home?

We recommend that you use two fabrics, one for the front and one for the lining – by weaving them together you can create curtains without a seam that look so much prettier on both sides.

To inspire you we have created a board on Pinterest with lots of fabrics, curtains and blind ideas to get you started.

If you would like to order your curtains to be delivered in time for Christmas – there is still a week to go! Order by 18th November to be assured that your curtains will be ready for delivery by Christmas.

Posted 8th November 2013

Alresford Opening Hours

Throughout November and December our Alresford store will be open on Sundays 11am - 4pm, to make sure you can get your Christmas shopping done!

We're also looking forward to the Christmas Market in Alresford on Sunday 15th December.

Keep an eye out for late night shopping dates and times soon as well at all our stores.

Posted 5th November 2013

Remember, Remember the 5th of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot...we know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot!

Yes, of course it is November the 5th and across the UK lots of people will be wrapping up warm and heading to their local bonfire night to enjoy the excitement of a huge, wild bonfire roaring away and fireworks whizz popping across the sky.

There is nothing quite so exciting as crunching through the fields in your wellies in the dark and not quite knowing who is next to you!

It is essential to keep cosy in these months as the temperatures really begin to drop as we head towards Christmas and beyond into winter.

A hot fire and hot chocolate helps as do fluffy socks and a snuggly friend – but we've also found that a few throws on the sofas and chairs in the sitting room – helps you to really wrap up while you relaxing or chatting – you can wrap up your knees, or your children, or your cat!

Susie Watson Throws are all made from Shetland wool and made in England and will last you a lifetime if you promise not to wash them in a hot wash!

Happy Fireworks Night everyone!

Posted 1st November 2013

Assistant Store Manager

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Assistant Store Manager to support the Store Manager in our beautiful, three-storey Georgian store on Marlow's High Street.

Go to our careers page for the full job description and details of how to apply.

Posted 28th October 2013

Interior Design by Susie Watson

Last week Susie gave an interior design talk in Kingsbridge at the Buckland Tout Saints Hotel. An attendee shares with us what she enjoyed and heard...

Susie talked about how she had started the business and how her inspiration came from the simple enjoyment and inspiration of a piece of pottery from Heather Swaine – inspiring her to design and create handmade, beautiful products for the home – to move away from machine manufacturing that dominates the market.

She spoke with great passion about the highs and lows of working with people in production in India – how proud she is to be working with both ceramics and textiles - respectful of their work ethic, warmth and honesty. She explained how they have never seen a snowdrop so stitching a flower they have never seen before was extraordinary.

Susie talked about colour in your home as well as the importance and effect of textures. How a russet colour looks stunning in velvet with the luxury of the pile but would look flat and dull in cotton. How the sheen of an olive silk cushion changes in different lights - but would like drab in cotton.

Her explanation of the width of fabrics for curtains and using a contrasting fabric as the lining caused a real stir. "Interiors is about colour", she said, "painting and soft furnishings that is personal and pleasing to you – not contrived or dictated by trends or fashions. I am inspired by the colours of my garden and the sea and the sky – the colours of nature."

Posted 25th October 2013

Susie's Diary of India

Oct 9th. Train to Delhi.

We have had a fascinating if gruelling 4 days. Never less than 12 hours in the factory - usually more - with visits to the wood turner and the market slotted in. A layer of dust covers Sarumpur - mainly from the dust roads but added to by a hundred wood carvers and furniture makers at work. It's not a town that tourists visit so we were a source of fascination for the locals! There are few cars still - bicycles and motorbikes are the main form of transport - and buffalos pulling carts piled with mango wood wander down every street.

Furniture is made in the same way that they have made it for centuries - and the way we made it a hundred years ago. Everything is made by hand with wonderful old tools and although they struggle to follow a photograph they work well once they understand what you want. Nothing is too much trouble to get it right and Masrur, the head chippie, is remarkable and unbelievably skilled.

The metal worker was impressive too; a charming and professional guy who has done a great job on our garden bench and table transforming the design of heavy wrought iron into stunning pieces of furniture. Pieces we can be really proud to put our name to. We have also been developing some new products with him, so watch this space…

Posted 21st October 2013

Bedtime bliss with an extra hour in bed

This weekend the clocks are going back so we get to have an extra hour in bed...bliss! This Sunday morning, 27th October – don't forget!

For us this is really good news, because we love to create a bedroom environment that is an absolute haven, a nest that is not only utterly cosy and perfect for snuggling but one that is also entirely elegant.

Calm colours and fabrics are an absolute must. We particularly recommend Duck Egg blue paint from our collection for the walls.

With this paint you can add really delicate and sumptuous linens and furniture, perhaps a fabric-covered footstool, and a hand-made quilt embroidered with trees and butterflies.

For more design inspiration and ideas for your perfect relaxing and comfortable bedroom have a look at our
Pinterest Boards and also here: on our Get The Look pages online, which explain the detail and products we use to design our rooms.

And don't forget – the clocks go back this weekend!

Posted 18th October 2013

Curtain and Blind Design

Susie Watson Designs offers a bespoke curtain and blind making service. Choose from our extensive range of hand-printed linens or luxuriously thick, 100% cotton fabrics for handmade and made to measure curtains and blinds.

Our fabrics are designed to mix and match; choose your favourite fabric, a design to match existing décor or ask our advice for help designing. We like to line our curtains with contrasting colours, creating a beautiful design detail from both the outside in and the inside out. We believe that our beautiful curtains will transform your room.

Posted 17th October 2013

Tunbridge Wells Store New Sunday Opening Times!

Our beautiful new store in Tunbridge Wells has new opening hours on Sundays, which will see the shop open from 11am until 5pm every Sunday.

So if Sunday is your only day to get into the spa town for a spot of shopping and some lunch, make sure you have a take a walk around our store.

We are getting ready for Christmas and will be taking our beautiful handmade furniture, elegant paint collection, soft furnishings, fabrics and hand-made ceramics with us to two wonderful Christmas fairs over the next few weeks in London.

The first one opens on 23rd October in Olympia and is the Spirit of Christmas Fair – just days later we will also be at the Country Living Christmas Fair in Islington – North London.

We have some tickets that we will be giving away for the two fairs – to be in with a chance go to our Facebook page and keep an eye on our postings for your chance to win!

Posted 11th October 2013

Tunbridge Wells Interiors Week

This weekend sees the culmination of Tunbridge Wells Interiors Week. Not only is it your last chance to receive a 10% discount in our Tunbridge Wells store, but is also a chance to get inspired.

If you're thinking of taking on a design project this autumn, this is the perfect time to get motivated. Come and chat to us in store for advice.

Posted 7th October 2013

New Designs in Production

These last two weeks Susie has been in Sri Lanka and India where she has been working intently on new designs, colours and prints alongside the producers over there.

The images she has sent to us of her at work – are very striking – Susie is so at home in this environment, being able to try designs out and see the results almost immediately.

There are so many stages in the creation of a piece of pottery it is amazing – from sculpting an initial shape, casting a sample mold, a production mold, sculpting and firing – it is staggering. Our large salad bowls even take several people to lift up!

There is a new mug in production, which Susie has been over-seeing, with new designs for tiles, Salcombe pottery, a new boat and butterfly design and Susie has been experimenting using the apple blossom and bee design on other products – it is very exciting.

Seeing the sponges being cut is so wonderful, you cannot believe the precision and eye for detail, especially when the candles are being hand-painted. You can even see the creation of the candles. Every element of the design is handmade by extremely skillful people – the detail in each piece is incredible to see.

We have an array of these images on our Pinterest page – go and have a look – we will be adding more as they come this week.

Posted 4th October 2013

Opening Hours over Mop Fairs

The Mop Fairs have been held on Marlborough High Street since 1204, We will have different opening hours over both weekends of the fair as follows:

Saturday 5th and Saturday 12th October

Fabric shop: closed

Main store: open 9am – 2pm

Posted 30th September 2013

Craft Making Competence

There really is nothing so relaxing and enjoyable than spending an afternoon with friends and making. Using your hands, getting creative and producing something that has been handmade by you.

There is a really simple joy that can be found in sitting and sewing, cutting out and designing a one off piece that you can enjoy for life satisfied in the knowledge that you made it yourself with just a little time and dedication.

Our craft courses can satisfy this simple urge and our recent Cushion Making Course in Marlow was so successful the people that attended made a whole host of stunning cushions.

There are some spaces available for the Bag Making Course on 24th October; there are also courses available at our dedicated Designs Craft Centre in Chichester, and at our Tunbridge Wells store.

We always love to showcase any work that has been made using our fabrics or inspiration from the colours – so please show us if you have made something on our Facebook page or have a look at ourPinterest Boards.

Posted 27th September 2013

Using Green Paint in Your Home

Painting your walls or ceiling a fresh new colour is one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to update your home and green is a colour that can be used in a number of ways. Our Lytton Green is warm and inviting, while our Olive Green is soothing and delicate.

Known as nature's neutral, greens often retreat gracefully into the background easier than expected. You can draw attention to the colour by adding hints of similar greens in accessories around the room.

If in doubt all greens will look beautiful with a crisp white and if you want to try something a bit different, try painting the ceiling green and the walls white or grey.

This week we are at Decorex International, a wonderful international interior design show, taking place in London with designers and makers from all over the world showcasing their furniture, paint, fabrics, lighting and so much more.

For us though it is doubly exciting this year as we are previewing our new wallpaper range exclusively, here at Decorex. Although it will not be on sale in stores until 2014 we are enjoying introducing the range to customers here at Decorex.

If you would like to come and see our stand and view the new wallpaper for yourself, come and find us we are in Kensington Palace, Hall Perks Field, D18.

The wallpaper has been designed to sit alongside our fabric collection and is exquisitely produced.

As soon as our wallpaper is available to buy online and in-store we will, of course, let you know immediately.

Posted 20thth September 2013

Create a Family Heirloom

Good quality furniture can be restored and updated to keep it looking great in the changing homes of different generations. Reupholstering, repainting and restoration by professionals is almost always cheaper than buying new and it holds the magic of the memories attached to it. This is why we believe in making quality and timeless pieces that last longer than a lifetime.

And now is a great time to buy as we are currently offering 10% off. All of our furniture is handmade from solid wood and high quality fabrics and designed in a timeless and classic style that will remain elegant.

This single bed would make the perfect piece to go from child to grandchild. Or this chesterfield sofa could become a firm family favourite for many generations.

Are there any heirlooms that you particularly treasure? Tweet @SusieWDesigns with your favourites.

Posted 16th September 2013

Three Reasons to stay at home this September

Number One – snuggle up by the fire or in bed with your loved ones this Autumn. The seasons are certainly changing and we are beginning to turn our minds to buying logs, shaking out the winter duvets, closing the curtains and concocting rich stews to feed our families.

We have a gorgeous range of quilts which are really beautiful on a bed – they give little ones an extra layer at night as the cold draws in and add a real touch of elegance to a made bed.

Number Two – candle light, there is never better reason to light
candles than as it gets darker in the evening, light a dinner table or a side table with a narrow candle-holder or a large hurricane vase for real impact.

Number Three – spend all Sunday morning in your bathrobe, read the papers in bed, make brunch with lashings of hot toast, cinnamon French toast, fresh orange, a huge pot of steaming coffee, crispy bacon and grilled tomatoes, share this with your loved ones and enjoy being indulgent and giving yourself a much needed spoiling.

Posted 13th September 2013

Creating a Joyous Living Space

Susie Watson Designs is about more than pretty products. It's about creating a living space that's a joy to live in. Our products are designed to be mixed and matched to create a lovely combination of colour and texture throughout the home.

Finding your inspiration is a really fun part of redesigning or updating any room. Susie says, "For me, the garden and the changing seasons are an endless source of inspiration."

You can find more Susie Watson Designs inspiration on Pinterest. Or if you want help creating a room scheme, you can attend one of our workshops in Chichester, which will enable you to create a beautiful scheme for any room.

Posted 10th September 2013

Try Our Hand Blown Glass Ware

Our hand-blown glasses are a joy to drink from and incredibly tactile. The softness that the hand-blown work gives them is terribly pretty and lit by candle light on a table laden with food and surrounded by family is truly the best way to enjoy our beautiful glassware collection.

Blowing glass is an art form that involves inflating molten glass into a bubble and then manipulating the glass to produce the ultimate shape, which for us is wine glasses, tumblers and vases.

A delicate white Sauvignon Blanc or a robust Chianti both work well in our wine-glasses and we think, and we have been told, that wine tastes so much more delicious when it is sipped from a hand-made glass.

Our vases are hand-blown and hand engraved and come in the most sumptuous shapes and look beautiful filled with bold fat, colourful peonies, roses and hydrangea, or wide bunches of delicate lavender – to add a sweetness of scent and a burst of your garden inside your home.

Posted 6th September 2013

3 Products to Help You Embrace Autumn

Autumn has announced its arrival with a swift change in weather. Our dreams of tasty scones and lazing on the beach have disappeared overnight and been replaced with plans for comforting apple crumbles and cosying up on the sofa.

Rather than mourn the loss of summer, we've decided to celebrate the arrival of autumn. Here's 3 products that will help you do the same.

Make the most of the fruit harvesting season by cooking up delicious baked apples and plum puddings, don't forget the blackberries, or the blackberry pudding bowl to serve it in!

Now the evenings are getting shorter, there's plenty of time to snuggle on the sofa under a comfy throw. Get the whole family together for a film night.

Remember how soothing a warm bath can be on a cold day? Get the hot taps running and light a few candles to help you relax.

We hope you have a fun weekend full of autumnal treats.

Posted 2nd September 2013

Autumnal Inspiration & Design Courses

As the night's draw in and the children get back into the routine of school life, why don't you take up a new course and enjoy some creative inspiration.

We have a launched a raft of new courses this autumn leading all the way up to Christmas.

Some of the many classes we are offering at our Chichester, Tunbridge Wells and Marlow stores include sewing, making cushions, painting ceramics, embroidery, making a bag and even interior design.

You could hand-make your Christmas presents this year, perhaps sew something for that special someone in your life; make them their very own apron or tea cosy! Ideas will abound during the design a room scheme, providing you with really exciting and clever ways to re-design a room in your house with expert advice about colour, fabric, cushions and furniture to help you achieve a real difference in time to snuggle up this winter.

Book in store or find out more about these wonderful courses have a look at the links.

Posted 30th August 2013

Chichester Craft & Interior Design Centre NOW OPEN

The first dedicated Susie Watson Designs Craft Centre, located in our Chichester shop, has launched its exciting Autumn / Winter 2013 schedule. There is a huge variety of courses from Sewing to Interior Design, Painting Ceramics to Embroidery, perfect for learning a new skill or improving your budding talent!

This is the last Bank Holiday Monday of the year so we thought it would be a good idea to let you know which of our shops are open and when.

Shop

Opening Times

Alresford

11am - 4pm

Chichester

10am - 4pm

Fabric Showroom

Closed

Kingsbridge

Closed

Marlborough

11am - 4pm

Marlow

11am - 5pm

Tunbridge Wells

10am - 4pm

Enjoy your bank holiday and we hope to see you soon.

Posted 19th August 2013

Supper Al Fresco

The evening is sultry, the air warm against your skin, the candles are lit and the table is arranged so that your friends and loved ones can relax as the sun goes down and supper is served.

Summer is not over and there is still time to have supper al fresco over the next few weeks and to recreate our stylish summer dining look take a peek here to see how we styled it.

We love the idea of mixing different patterns together on a table. The hand-blown glass is really a joy to drink from and is wonderfully tactile especially when filled with a chilled rosé!

All the glassware is hand-blown, and because they are made by human beings and not machines small imperfections are produced, which makes each glass utterly unique.

Eating with loved ones is one of life's simplest pleasures and although your table may look beautiful with flowers, candles and pottery – the food should be simple and delicious – lamb is in season right now – simply roast it with whole garlic and serve it with a steaming bowl of cous-cous flecked with fresh pink pomegranate seeds – the perfect compliment.

We would love to see and hear about your al fresco dining, do send us any pictures or ideas you used when you created your perfect al fresco supper party to our Facebook page.

Posted 16th August 2013

Style Tips: Nautical for Kids

Kids love the seaside and if you want to create a room that will make them feel like they're on holiday all year round, have some fun playing around with a nautical theme.

The room can remain harmonious amongst the children's chaos and creativity if you pick a colour scheme to focus on. Blue and white are the classic beside-the-seaside colours, and choosing some stripy bedding and painting the walls in calm hues of sky or sea blue will hold the theme together.

Now you've got a calm nautical base, get the children involved in picking accessories. They will be delighted with cute boat, bird and pirate designs! Our bunting can add a fun pop of colour, while our pocket storage wall hanging will help you keep the toys organised.

We'd love to see what you've done with the nautical theme for your kids. Send us a photo on Facebook.

Get Creative and come and join us! Our Tunbridge Wells and Marlow shops have launched a series of courses for Autumn 2013.

What´s on at our Tunbridge Wells shop:

Creating a Room Scheme, with Michelle Bowerman

If you have a room that needs a makeover come along and receive expert tuition on how to redesign your room using Susie Watson Design paints, fabrics, cushions and furniture. Mix your existing pieces with new. You'll leave with a mood board which will enable you to put your scheme into action with confidence.

Cushion Making, with Sam Coates

An experienced textile teacher, Sam will show you to make an appliqué cushion design of your choice with pom pom trim from a selection of Susie Watson Design thick weave cottons. Leave with your cushion complete with interior pad.

Our Fabric Manager Claire is an experienced sewing tutor with a vast knowledge of Susie's collection, she will guide you through various techniques to help you create something you can really be proud of.

SEPTEMBER - Cushion Making

Claire will show you how to make an appliqué cushion design of your choice from a selection of Susie Watson Design thick weave cottons, pom poms and trimmings. Leave with your cushion complete with interior pad.

OCTOBER – Bag Making

Learn how to make a bag of your choice including a shopping bag, beach bag or even a bag with interchangeable covers! Leave with your very own designer piece.

This month we have a wonderful range of special offers on our website and in stores.
The Susie Watson entire range of beautiful, traditional style, French Bowls are available now.

Each of these pretty bowls is perfect for breakfast in the garden, piled high with muesli, yogurt and lots of fresh berries. Or for a large fix of café au lait or a rich hot chocolate if you want to feel very Parisian.

With every bowl in the French range on special offer this month, including the Doris, the Strawberry, the Honey Bees and the Blackberry you can really begin to build up your collection.

Lovingly handmade and hand painted in Sri Lanka the French Bowl collection on special offer also includes the entire children's range as well. The range is dishwasher and microwave proof and has been reduced from £17.50 to £14.50.

It isn't just for the beach; lay it out in a picnic spot or wrap it around your shoulders when it starts cooling down in the evenings. The beautiful hand-sewn designs are a pretty addition to any outfit and while the paisley applique adds a pop of colour, the azure cotton is a neutral that will go with everything.

You can buy the sarong, which is currently on offer for August, from our online shop or in-store.

We've teamed up with our friends at Dorset Cereals to offer you the chance to breakfast in style.

You could win a gorgeous handmade set including four mugs, plates, bowls and glasses, a tablecloth and four napkins and lots of other lovely bits and bobs. Just play Dorset Cereal's Spin The Bottle game to enter!

Posted 7th June 2013

Sewing & Interior Design Courses starting August 2013

We are excited to announce the arrival of a selection of adult craft and interiors courses to take place at our Tunbridge Wells and Marlow stores.

Courses will cover a range of activities from creating a mood board for a room design to making an appliqué cushion. The techniques involved will be suitable for both beginner and intermediate levels of ability.

For more information on courses at Tunbridge Wells contact Sarah on 01892 531 526 and for courses at Marlow contact Claire on 01628 485 757.

Check the website for further information over the Summer.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Posted 16th May 2013

Wealden Fair

To all our lovely customers in the Weald and the surrounding area, Susie Watson Designs will have a large (and very pretty) stand at the hugely popular Midsummer Fair at Hole park in Rolvenden, selling a selection of our beautiful handmade home collection at special fair prices.

* Excludes our furniture, paint, brochures, fabric samples, gift vouchers and curtain making services. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. This offer ends Monday 29th April 2013 at 8.00am. Please read our full terms and conditions here.

Posted 9th April 2013

Susie's Sew Off Competition!

Its competition time! Will you be watching The Great British Sewing Bee again this week? Are you a bit handy with a needle yourself?

Show us what you can do by entering 'Susie's Sew Off'

Send us an image of your 'best ever creation' and Susie will pick her favourite 3, with the winner receiving our new hand embroidered Owlbert cushion. Our fabric and cushion packs will also be won by second and third place winners. It can be something you made years ago that you still keep proudly on display, or something that you plan on making in the next couple of weeks – we don't mind – as long as it's a sewing project, and the more creative the better!

We will be posting images that we receive on to our social media pages, so tell your friends to head over and show their support for your submission!

Terms & Conditions: By sending us your image, you agree to it being considered for use on our social media pages.

Posted 20th March 2013

New Shop Opening!

Kingsbridge, Devon
Thursday 28th March

We are very excited to be opening our doors in the pretty market town of Kingsbridge in Devon just before Easter weekend. The shop will showcase our fabrics, furniture and soft-furnishing accessories as well as our popular pottery collections. Located at the bottom end of Fore Street, the shop boasts a double-fronted facade and is part of a group of listed buildings in the street.

Kingsbridge is located close to the spectacular South Devon coast and sailing venues, such as Salcombe and is within easy reach of Plymouth and Dartmouth.
Visit this lovely little town if you're holidaying in Devon and pop in and see us - we'd love to see you there.

If you see our shop staff wearing silly 'Boppers, Badges and Bands' today then it's because we're raising awareness, and hopefully cash for Comic Relief 2013.

You can do your bit just by purchasing our products online or in-store TODAY, and we will donate 10% of all *purchases to this great cause.

Help us to donate as much as possible!

*Excludes curtain making service, furniture and paint.

Posted 4th March 2013

Can You Name Our New Range?

We were so impressed with all your name suggestions for our new 'bee' range last week, that we've decided we would like your help with another new range!

While in production, our new design which features a small stripy heart, took on the temporary name of 'Mia'. Susie feels the design has a Swedish feel to it and that the name can be improved with suggestions from our creative customers!

The winner will receive these 2 lovely espresso mugs in the new design.

If we receive more than 1 of the winning entry, the first submission will be chosen as the winner. Make sure you're the first to send your suggestion!

Can you see yourself using our new 'bee' inspired Mini Pitcher? – If you're feeling creative it could be yours!

Susie has recently been working on this pretty new design for our pottery, and we would like your help on naming the new range. In return we'll be giving away the pitcher in this image to the winning name…

If we receive more than 1 of the winning entry, the first submission will be chosen as the winner – so 'beeee' quick!

We also have a limited amount of tickets to give away! If you are interested, then please call us on 01672 521 256.

Posted 22nd October 2012

Marlow - The Story

Now Open!

Susie's vision to turn a living house into a shop to showcase her range in a home environment has been realized in this beautiful 3 storey Grade II* Georgian listed building. Once home to The Brewery House, and having lived many of its years as a fine Georgian town house, it is steeped in history and offers the perfect setting for our 6th shop.

Experience what it feels like to wander from room to room in a Susie Watson Designs home. See how Susie has approached the design for the basement kitchen with reclaimed terracotta tile flooring, the tucked away Gentlemen's study, the bedroom and nursery with original shutters, and the drawing room with original Georgian home dimensions.

The dedicated fabric showroom features original wood panelling and the 2.6 metre windows provide the perfect showcase for our curtains.

Our Summer Sale is now on and we have up to 50% off sale items online! In-store you'll find a sweeping 15% off ALL homewares*, plus save 10% on all paints, fabric and furniture. It's the perfect time to add to your Susie Watson Designs collection. Don't miss out!

*Homewares includes all products excluding paint, fabric & furniture.

Posted 11th July 2012

Inside Tunbridge Wells

If you haven't had a chance to visit our new Tunbridge Wells shop, click here for details.

We have been patiently waiting to open one of our shops in historic Tunbridge Wells for some time, and knew it was a matter of waiting for the perfect opportunity.

When a beautiful Grade II listed corner building became available in a prime location at the centre of High Street, we knew we had found our new home.

It has taken us 12 weeks to lovingly restore the building back to its former glory, uncovering the back sky light roof and beautiful original ceiling. The façade now bears the distinctive shades of Susie's sultry greys and duck egg blues.

Beyond the window displays, step into each of our 'rooms' to experience our beautiful interiors.

We are very excited to be opening our doors in Tunbridge Wells, which heralds the opening of more shops planned over the coming months.

"Since my children seem to possess an inability to sleep, I cheer myself up by trying to create beautiful bedrooms for them in restful tones and traditional style, thus creating a lovely environment from which to pace - up and down, night after night.

In this spirit I purchased the True Blue Stripe Bird and Boats Bumper for my youngest, Arthur. Not only is this the most brilliantly functional item - stiff enough so you're not afraid it's going to squash down around the mattress, high enough that it completely obscures the cot (prison!) bars, with plenty of ties to ensure a secure fit - but the enchanting stripes and appliqued motifs are just enough to catch the baby's eye without over stimulating.

Above all, the product achieved the unthinkable....the baby slept.....the first night, and the second, snug up against the bumper, and the third....Well, it can't last, but thank you Susie for providing hope..in a very pretty package!"

Congratulations to Laura Grice for this worthy winning review, the on-line gift voucher is on it's way to you!

We will be running more competitions this year so do check back on the website in the near future!

Posted 28th November 2011

Parkinson's UK Charity

We've teamed up with charity for 2011 / 2012. We are helping to support them to find a cure and improve life for everyone affected by the disease.

They have taken a range of Susie Watson ceramics which as well as raising vital funds for the charity, provides sufferers with really beautiful yet practical wide based mugs and pitchers.

Come and visit our outlet store based in our warehouse in Sutton Coldfield for a bargain or 2! On offer will be seconds items of our current ranges and discontinued items. Stock changes frequently so please do call in advance if you are looking for something in particular.

Thank you to all those who attended the world's biggest coffee morning in support of Macmillan in all of our stores on the 30th September. We are very pleased with all of your kind donations which have all gone directly to Macmillan Cancer Support Ltd

"My sister introduced me to Susie Watson's pottery when she presented me with a gift of a Oscar conical mug. The mug's lip is fine so it's perfect for an Earl Grey at the end of an exhausting day but also works for a strong coffee before the day even gets going. It's by far my favourite mug."Congratulations to Jules! We have had so many delightful reviews that we have decided we simply couldn't choose so we also have some runner up prizes!

Runners up(Prize £10 Gift Voucher):

Carol Banks"My favourite tray" Product: Large wooden duck egg tray"I love my new tray. It is so useful - I can clear the table in one go! Breakfast in bed is a lovely treat and this tray holds just about everything - from the bacon and eggs to the toast and tea - all served, of course, on my beautiful Susie Watson pottery. This tray even looks good propped on my kitchen worktop. What would I do without it?"

Helen Fields Product: 'The Summer House' Wall Hanging"The Susie Watson 'Summer House' Wall hanging takes pride of place in my new Garden Room. It is beautifully crafted, quite simply a work of art and such fun to look at. The fabric and colours blend perfectly with my primula cushions, lamp base and shade. It is much admired, thanks Susie Watson!"

Chloë Elsby-Pearson"Beautiful Tea light Holders"Product: Tea light Holders in Oscar and Strawberry"The tea light holders are an excellent purchase; they are both practical and beautifully crafted. They fit a standard tea light perfectly. The Oscar and Strawberry designs have been painted with great care and attention to detail. I have four tea light holders, and often use them along a runner on my table - they look gorgeous! Another fabulous Susie Watson product!"

Many thanks to all who entered. (This Competition has now ended.)

Posted 31st May 2011

Alresford Friday 3rd June 20111 Year AnniversaryWe would like to thank everyone who attended our One year anniversary celebration in Alresford on Friday 3rd June. It was wonderful to see you all on such an exciting occasion for SWD Alresford.

We had a lovely evening hosting our party, So look out for more up coming events on our news and events page.

19th May 2011

Northcote Road - Spring Event - Success!

Flower Arranging & Inspirational Ideas For The Home - Q & A'sWe would like to thank everyone who came to enjoy our Spring event on the 19th of May in our Northcote Road store. With talks from our neighbours across the street Farrow & Ball and The Stem and Petal Co. we all picked up some valuable tips for our homes!

Drawing on the success of this event, watch out on our news and events page for further up coming in-store events to delight and inspire across all of our stores.We look forward to seeing you all there!

With thanks to Farrow & Ball and The Stem & Petal Co. for their help with this event.

April 2011

Warehouse relocation

We are relocating our warehouse to make room for all our lovely new products.

Be the first to hear about exciting news, be kept up-to-date about forthcoming special offers, new products and events.

2011

New Fabric Showroom

We are pleased to announce the opening of our new Fabric Showroom in Marlborough, Wiltshire in September.

The growing popularity of the fabric and trimmings collections has meant that they now need a dedicated space of their own. The full range will be on show at 5, High Street with much larger stock availability.

Our original shop at 114, High street is open as usual but also being refurbished so it will feature a bedroom/nursery showroom downstairs and additional space for our growing interiors range.

For further information please contact our fabric showroom, using the above telephone number or email.

We look forward to seeing you there!

2011

New Shop Open in Alresford

We are delighted to have found an exciting new space in the heart of Alresford in Hampshire for our new shop, which is now open.

This shop is our largest store and offers all of our beautiful products in room settings including kitchen, bedroom and children's bedroom over 2 floors. You can pick up lots of inspiring ideas about how to display our products in your own home.

We have a room dedicated to our wonderful fabrics and trimmings with specialist fabric staff on hand to help you choose.

As well as the complete Susie Watson Designs range, we will have our ever popular Lucy Art range of cards, prints and pottery.

Alresford is a beautiful Georgian town and it's the perfect place for strolling. There are lots of good independent shops and plenty of cafes, restaurants and pubs. It is only 6 miles from Winchester. view map

2011

Beware eBay Fraud

We are upset to have received a lot of complaints from disappointed customers who have bought sub-standard products off eBay.

These are unauthorized suppliers and we would warn people against buying from this source.

Two names of sellers that we have received complaints about are topher2700_0 and gateforceponypony.